The present invention relates to methods to join at least first and second metallic components in which a pre-treatment is applied to one or more region(s) of at least one of the components to be welded together before welding takes place. The pre-treatment involves contacting at least a region of the first metallic component with a rotating and translating tool such that the rotating and translating contact locally heats, softens, and mixes successive portions of at least the region of the first metallic component. The first and second metallic components are placed together such that a joint is provided between at least the pre-treated region of the first metallic component and the second metallic component. At least the pre-treated region of the first metallic component is welded to the second metallic component along at least a portion of the joint.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of joining first and second metallic components, comprising the steps of: a. providing a first metallic component comprising at least one metallic material, wherein the first metallic component is in a partially formed configuration; b. providing a second metallic component comprising at least one metallic material; c. pre-treating at least a region of the partially formed, first metallic component, said pre-treating comprising the step of friction stir processing at least the region of the partially formed, first metallic component with a rotating and translating tool such that the rotating and translating contact locally heats, softens, and mixes successive portions of at least the region of the partially formed, first metallic component; d. after pre-treating the partially formed, first metallic component, modifying the partially formed, first metallic component to provide a modified, pre-treated, first metallic component including an additional component feature in the pre-treated region; e. optionally pre-treating at least a region of the second metallic component, said pre-treating comprising the step of friction stir processing at least the region of the second metallic component with a rotating and translating tool such that the rotating and translating contact locally heats, softens, and mixes successive portions of at least the region of the second metallic component; f. placing the modified, pre-treated first metallic component and the optionally pre-treated second metallic component together such that a joint is provided between at least the pre-treated region of the modified, pre-treated, first metallic component and the second metallic component; and g. welding at least the pre-treated region of the modified, pre-treated, first metallic component to the optionally pre-treated second metallic component along at least a portion of the joint.
2. A method of forming a hard disk device, comprising the steps of: a. providing a hard disk enclosure base deck and a hard disk enclosure cover that fits on the base deck, wherein each of the base deck and cover independently comprises at least one metallic material, and wherein the base deck is in a partially formed configuration; b. pre-treating at least a region of the partially formed base deck that comprises at least one weld zone region at which the base deck in a further modified configuration is intended to be welded to the cover, and wherein said pre-treating comprises the step of friction stir processing at least the one weld zone region of the partially formed base deck with a rotating and translating tool such that the rotating and translating contact locally heats, softens, and mixes successive portions of at least the one weld zone region of the partially formed base deck; c. after pre-treating the partially formed base deck, modifying the partially formed, pre-treated base deck to provide a modified, pre-treated base deck including an additional component feature in the pre-treated region; d. installing a plurality of hard disk drive components in a cavity of the modified, pre-treated base deck; e. placing the cover onto the modified, pre-treated base deck to enclose the plurality of hard disk drive components in a hard disk enclosure chamber such that a joint is provided between at least the pre-treated region of the modified, pre-treated base deck and the cover; and f. welding at least a portion of the pre-treated region of the modified, pre-treated base deck to the cover in a weld zone along at least a portion of the joint.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the joint provided between the modified, pretreated base deck and the cover includes a lap joint.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cover comprises a rim that seats against a shoulder of the modified, pretreated base deck when the cover is placed onto the modified, pretreated base deck.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (f) comprises using a fusion welding technique.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (f) comprises using a friction stir welding technique.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the partially formed base deck as provided in step (a) is formed at least in part by casting at least one aluminum alloy.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cover as provided in step (a) is formed at least in part by casting at least one aluminum alloy.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the partially formed base deck and the cover as provided in step (a) is independently formed at least in part by casting at least one aluminum alloy.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one aluminum alloy in the modified, pretreated base deck is the same as at least one aluminum alloy in the cover.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one aluminum alloy in the modified, pretreated base deck is different from at least one aluminum alloy in the cover.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of pre-treating the modified, pretreated base deck causes the at least one pre-treated region of the modified, pretreated base deck to undergo plastic deformation.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of pre-treating the modified, pretreated base deck renders the grain structure of at least the pre-treated region of the modified, pretreated base deck to be more fine than said region prior to the pre-treatment.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (c) further comprises further machining the partially formed base deck after pre-treating to include additional component features.
15. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (f) is carried out a manner effective to provide a re-alloyed weld between the modified, pretreated base deck and the cover.
16. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cover as provided in step (a) comprises a cast Series 5000 aluminum alloy and the partially formed base deck as provided in step (a) comprises a cast Series 6000 aluminum alloy.
17. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (f) further comprises incorporating base deck alloy, a cover alloy and a third alloy material into the weld between the cover and the modified, pretreated base deck.
18. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pre-treated region of the partially formed base deck is larger than the weld between the modified, pretreated base deck and the cover.
19. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (b) comprises rotating the tool at 2000 rpm to 30,000 rpm.
20. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (b) comprises translating the tool at 0.1 meters per minute to 3 meters per minute.
21. A method of forming a hard disk device, comprising the steps of: a. providing a hard disk enclosure base deck in a partially formed configuration and a hard disk enclosure cover that fits on the partially formed base deck, wherein each of the partially formed base deck and the cover independently comprises at least one metallic material comprising at least one aluminum alloy; b. pre-treating at least a portion of a sidewall of the partially formed base deck that comprises at least one weld zone at which the base deck in a further modified configuration is intended to be welded to the cover, wherein said pre-treating comprises friction stir processing successive portions of the weld zone to provide a pre-treated sidewall; c. after pre-treating the partially formed base deck, modifying the partially formed, pre-treated base deck to provide a modified, pre-treated base deck including an additional component feature in the pre-treated sidewall; d. installing a plurality of hard disk drive components into a cavity of the modified, pre-treated base deck; e. placing the cover onto the modified, pre-treated base deck to enclose the hard disk drive components in a hard disk enclosure chamber such that a joint is formed between the cover and the pre-treated sidewall of the modified, pre-treated base deck; f. friction stir welding at least a portion of the pre-treated sidewall of the modified, pre-treated base deck to the cover along at least a portion of the joint.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 31, 2018
July 20, 2021
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